DMK announces cash relief of Rs one lakh to next kin of AP encounter victims

Chennai: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Friday announced a cash relief of Rs one lakh to the families of 20 woodcutters, alleged to be red sanders smugglers, who were gunned down in Andhra Pradesh on April 7.

Party chief M Karunanidhi said the sum will be handed over to the families by the party's respective district secretaries and other senior leaders.

In a statement, he also said the state government's relief of Rs three lakh to the victim's next of kin was 'very less.'

Twenty red sander smugglers were killed and six policemen injured in a fierce exchange of fire after they attacked the police in Seshachalam hill ranges in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district on April 7.

The task force and forest personnel, during a joint combing operation, spotted over 200 red sander woodcutters involved in felling trees and they were asked to surrender.

However, the smugglers, armed with sickles, axes, swords, country-made weapons and stones, attacked the police and forest personnel injuring six policemen.

In retaliation, when the police fired in self-defence, 20 of the smugglers were killed and many others fled the scene.